Throwing Bouquets to the Dead

Hundreds gathered for a Candlelight vigil this past Saturday night in the small town of Berwick.The public outpouring of grief wasn’t for an actor or pop star. It was for 62 year old Harley Lawrence, a homeless man who died last week when the bus shelter he was sleeping in caught, (was set?) on fire.

I might be a cynic….. okay I am a cynic, but I wonder howover four hundred people who showed up at Saturday’s vigil treated Harley when he was alive?I wonder if they spoke kind words when they saw him outside the local Tim Horton’s or how they felt about him sleeping on the bench in the shelter?It’s not as if Berwick has a homeless problem; Harley was their homeless problem.And from all accounts, Harley Lawrence didn’t want help, but everyone deserves kindness, and not just after their brutal death.It’s easy to throw stones, and I probably would have ignored Harley and perhaps questioned why the local government didn’t do anything to address the homeless problem (that would be Harley) in town.

So perhaps each of us needs to look around for the Harley Lawrences in our lives and offer the kind words and thoughtful gestures before it’s too late.Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.